Goðar as 5.5e Clerics
by Marc SaindonSo the new Cleric specializes in one domain, the base book providing 4 of these (and I expect that many new domains will be published in the eventual Cleric handbook and other supplements as a cash grab, but that's another story).
The 4 domains we get are: Life, Light, Trickery, War.
In an old post, I did mention I like splitting Aesirs and Vanir between Clerics (as Goðar who worship the otherworldly Asgardians) and Druids (who, under another name of Spa-kona, worship the natural forces guarded by the Vanir), so each of these Domains would get an Aesir deity or two.
Gothi
Life : this would center around the cult of motherly Frigg (not to be confused with Freyja), probably be a more female-led, and serve as a domestic and civic cult. Since everyone gets injured at some time, this cult is popular all over the Northern Reaches. Her symbol would be a falcon.
Frigg
Light: the cult would center around the return of spring and longer days, involving flower crowns and merry-making. More of a civic religion, probably more popular in agricultural countryside of Vestland, among both genders. His symbol would a crown of holly.
Baldr
Trickery: this Domain could be associated with either Loki or Odin, popular with those who need to survive by their wits. Thus, you can find Trickery Clerics at both ends of the economic and political spectrum, with the worship of Odin-as-a-Trickster being a more aristocratic cult, while Loki enjoys clandestine worship in more marginalized circles. These cults would attract either genders. Odin would be represented by the raven, while Loki could have a serpent as his symbol.
War: this Domain could belong to Tyr, Thor, Odin, or even the more defensive Heimdallr. Aesirs are a lot more warlike than other pantheons. These would be warrior cults, popular with jarls and carls (soldiers), complete with jomsvikings sort of training halls/sanctuaries where young soldiers are trained. The wolf would be a common symbol (Tyr, Odin) or the ram (Heimdallr, Thor). These cults would be predominantly male, although would have a few Shieldmaiden units that stand out.
Jomsvikings
Of course, the Aesirs don't necessarily need competing temples, and one approach is that a Cleric from a given temple picks his "patron saint" from the pantheon, but all Clerics are part of the same national religious organization and share some resources. Or they could be political factions.
image from: https://spacebiff.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/3.-on-the-orlog.jpg?w=1024
